Reports

2016 Awards for Excellence in Human Developing Reporting Awardee

This report looks at how to engage young people in conversations about development. It is an excellent example of how to give people a voice to shape their own future. Young people were closely involved in the report’s production and in taking the recommendations forward. It led to Sri Lanka’s first blog on youth and development, which dozens of young Sri Lankans now contribute and is now published in a national newspaper. Two years after its launch, the findings of these reports are informing many discussions and policy-making processes which range from the draft of a youth policy action plan through a university diploma in youth development.

Abstract

The report examines the pivotal role of Sri Lankan youth. You and Development: Towards a More inclusive Future considers the opportunities and challenges youth face as the nation progresses through the 21st century. This has been the year for youth in Sri Lanka, highlighted by the launch of the first National Youth Policy and the hosting of World Conference on Youth. Which led to an outcome statement for the first time was jointly signed by the Government and youth delegates.

This Report focuses on the productive abilities of the regions, households and
individuals. The report also reinforces the fact that there are inequalities between and within regions, as well as social groups. It reveals that there is ethnic dimension to the geographic disparity. It also points out human development does not only depend upon access to facilities and productive abilities but also on
the opportunities available.

The report rightly recommends strengthening inclusive growth and looking into innovation in development models for problems that defy general economics. Inclusive Growth and innovation in development models are important at this time, as Nepal tries to move out of a long drawn out political transition and its commitment to graduating from Least Developed Country to a Developing Country status by 2022.